Did I have a panic attack? For many of us today, the answer is probably yes.
We live in an age of constant distraction. Cell phones and computers keep us up to date on every tragedy the second they occur. Combined with an increasing number of people disgruntled at the workplace and a bad diet, it is no wonder that panic attacks are on the rise.
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Panic attacks can be brought on by stressful situations, such as divorce or financial problems. They can also just happen because your body chemistry is incorrect. Although not as common, you can have a panic attack while you are sleeping.
To have a panic attack, your body has to feel stress, whether mental or physical, mental in the form of anxiety, and physical in the shape of stress hormones. When your heart begins to increase your blood pressure, your body tries to keep your temperature down by sweating. Stress hormones are released by your adrenal glands, and this causes your breathing rate to increase. This more rapid breathing can lead to dizziness and nausea.
Eating a healthy diet and meditating can reduce your chances of panic attacks significantly, for example, because leafy greens are great for your circulation. They also reduce blood pressure.
Meditation also reduces blood pressure and increases circulation. Ten minutes a day should be put aside for meditation. All of your body’s major systems benefit from meditation. Your nervous, circulatory, digestive, and respiratory systems are all improved when you meditate.
There are certain symptoms you can look for when trying to understand “Did I have a panic attack?” Your body will give you signs that once you know, you can use to help you counteract anxiety before it becomes a panic attack.
Increased Body Temperature
Stress causes your body temperature to rise, due to the changes that take place in your body. Stress hormones are released by your adrenal glands when anxiety is experienced. These hormones increase your body's blood pressure, which makes it difficult for your body to regulate its temperature properly and why it consequently rises. You may then show signs of shaking and sweating, similar to the symptoms of a fever.
Chest Pain
Stress affects your circulatory and nervous systems in peculiar ways. Your blood pressure increases and can be accompanied by an irregular heartbeat. This outcome can make the victims of an anxiety attack feel as if they are experiencing a heart attack. The difference is that your heartbeat returns to normal as you begin to calm down.
Nausea and Dizziness
When a panic attack hits, it can make you feel disoriented. The worse the panic attack is, the dizzier you can become. You can feel your equilibrium move in a swirling motion, giving you a type of motion sickness nausea that causes severe stomach pains, which can make you feel like you have some other illness.
Overwhelming Feelings
During a panic attack, you can get very emotional. It is common for people to feel like they are losing control of their lives or a particular situation. The high level of panic causes you to begin to doubt your mental abilities. When you are overwhelmed with anxiety, your nervous system is negatively affected, causing chemical imbalances in your body. These imbalances are responsible for higher levels of agitation and depression.
Shortness of Breath
Panic attacks can make you feel like you are hyperventilating. Many people describe this feeling as like running a marathon at full speed; you are unable to catch your breath, which contributes to your nausea and dizziness.
Trembling or Shaking
The sudden release of high numbers of stress hormones can cause your muscles to become shaky since your breathing is not allowing them to receive an adequate amount of oxygen. People often have hot or cold flashes during a panic attack.
Numbness
Numbness occurs when you have high blood pressure and an irregular heart pattern, which can fool some people into thinking they are having a heart attack.
Choking Feeling
As your panic attack occurs, your breathing can become very short, which can make it seem as if you are choking on the air. You must relax to overcome this.
If you have ever experienced any of these symptoms, especially during a stressful time in your life, it is probable that you suffered a panic attack. Women are twice as likely to suffer from panic attacks versus men. It is reported that 7% of women will have a panic attack in their lifetime. Only 2.7% of the male population will suffer from panic attacks. For the sufferers, a panic attack is terrifying, and it should be taken very seriously.
Our Top Pick For Beating Panic Attacks
Stopping, and preventing, panic attacks is now even easier.
